I've always found Ghostface Killah one of the Wu-Tang Clan's most interesting members. Not necessarily on a personal level, although I'm sure he'd be a fun guy to hang out with, but rather because while he has never really had an album that rivaled a proper Wu-Tang album like GZA did with "Liquid Swords" or Raekwon with "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx (1 and 2)," yet at the same time he has produced a couple of classic hip hop records that makes him that ever lovable über talented underdog forever on the brink of his own "Swords" or "Linx." Furthermore, unlike GZA or Raekwon, even his spotty work is worth a listen. Upon hearing "Apollo Kids," though, I think Ghostface may be destined for something else instead; something that may not include the momentarily glorious victories of GZA and Raekwon, but a fate that is incredibly worthwhile nevertheless, which to be the most consistent and satisfactory rapper in the Wu-Tang stable. Considering Wu-Tang is, well, the Wu-Tang, being their most consistent and satisfactory rapper is pretty much akin to saying that Ghostface is Paul McCartney (which, if you haven't figured out, means Raekwon is John Lennon, GZA is George Harrison, and RZA is George Martin). All this is to say that "Apollo Kids" is a hell of an album. It's as solid as a rock, and it doesn't bog itself down in skit driven narrative or experiments in R&B, instead it's twelve lean and mean rap songs played without pause that sounds hungry throughout. This is a record that doesn't rewrite the rules, but instead perfects them.
"Apollo Kids" was released with virtually no hype during the last two weeks of the year, a time where releases go to die, or at least remain buried until discovered later sometime in the next year. It's an odd approach that you often don't see for a marquee star like Ghostface that leaves me wondering if Def Jam or Ghostface didn't feel the record deserved better. If that were the case, they are one-hundred percent wrong. Granted "Apollo Kids" isn't a big lavish record like, say Kanye's, but it is a superb hardcore, back-to-basics collection of bangers that deserves more attention than the conditions of its release indicates
In some ways the lack of hype and lavishness is one of the album's greatest strengths. This is no fatted calf, it's a lean, tight record that gets in, does its job, and gets out without any time for slack or excess. This efficiency only adds to Ghostface's furious delivery as does his emphasis on gangster/political/inner city themes. Although RZA is absent from the album's production, Ghostface populates the record with plenty of imitators, and the sound of "Apollo Kids" is close to classic Wu, without hardly any of the R&B flourishes that have dominated Ghostface's recent work. The gritty sound only adds to the hardcore flavor of the record, making it hard not to call "Apollo Kids" a return to classic Wu form.
Ghostface has announced that he has two records set for release in 2011, including the long promised sequel to "Supreme Clientele." That's all well and good, and while it appears that Def Jam and Ghostface are putting their money down on that record they would have done well to bet on "Apollo Kids" as well, because a return this good to the 36 Chambers is nothing to scoff at.
"2Getha Baby"
"Ghetto"
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